Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-12
THE SLAVE CASES TO BE HEARD.

At San Francisco on Saturday large
number of the female slaves held on one
of the steamers by customs officers, and
prevented from landing, were before the
United States Circuit Court on writs OF
habeas corpus sworn out, Of course, by in
terested slave masters. For a time it APP
peared as if there was to be a conflict OF
authority between customs and judicial
officers, and perhaps resistance by the Col
lector of the Port to the orders of the
Court. But this was avoided, and the
women, pending the hearing OF the cases,
are to be transferred to and detained on a
steamship Of the passenger company that
remains in the harbor, while that they
leave is to sail. Judge Sawyer well re-
marked that until it is determined that the
women are to be landed or remanded, the
carrier who brought them here must con-
tinue to keep them in custody. They are
to be permitted to consult with their
counsel-though that is a farce, the poor
N1ClSICo llOt NNIii hiiONllIS hlidL COun-
sci " is, nor have they any idea whatever
of the relations of client and attorney {;
but they are not to be approached without
consent Of the Court, and the Court ought
to see to it that no Chinese slave-broking
agents manage to get the ear of these
women. If that is permitted, even through
the fiction of counsel" they will be
terrorized and made to testify to whatever
the masters desire.
One Of the very best suggestions in
the entire matter came from United
States District Attorney Carey, who
asked for an order of Court that the slaves
be photographed, in order that no ex-
changes can be made. The Court con-
cured with him, and thus an effectual
check is put upon the old-time game of
passing off old hays whom the slavers are
glad to have sent back to China, for young
and likely slaves. 1t no n looks as if the
cases about to be heard will result in the
complete exposure of the inner workings
of the whole infamous Chinese slave trade.
The customs authorities are understood to
be thoroughly prepared and ready for the
contest, while the slave-dealers are en-
ploying all manner of influences, together
with money and chicanery, to compass
their defeat. They do not stand at cor
ruption for an instant, and if they can buy
the slaves out of the grasp of the law they
will do so. Perjury has no terrors for
them, and they swear to any desired state
of facts with amazing nonchalance. The
Federal Courts announce that they are
deeply interested in the matter, and pro-
pose to sift it to the bottom, and as first
step have refused to admit the women TO
bail. That procedure in the past has
been the means of landing not few who
otherwise would now be back in China.
Judge Sawyer on Saturday said from the
Circuit bench:
None of these women will be allowed to 90 at
large on bail. If they want to return to China
they can do so. Ii they do not they will be CON
fined until their cases are disposed of, and this
whole subject thoroughly investigated. We do
not propose to be imposed upon if we can help
It. by this class of people. 1 do not propose to
discharge these women on bail or let them go
out of the custody of the Marshal. l propose 10
give the Collector and District Attorney every
facility for teIreting out these cases and finding
out If these women have right to land and
Furnishing any offense if any has been COM
mitted. ! have become suspicious from the
large number of these women arriving that
there is some imposition practiced and / pro
pose to make an investigation as to the number
of women who have gone away.